Cc-uk mailing list

[Dr Tim Brookes <T.Brookes AT surrey.ac.uk>]

On 27 Apr 2005, at 17:00, oli bird wrote:
> I'm a writer-member of PRS and it seems that I get to choose which of  
> my works I register with them. You only register stuff that you want 
> them to collect you money for.   So Tim, I don't think that the past 
> and future exclusivity thing can be true.

Unfortunately, as soon as you sign the initial PRS membership 
agreement, you agree to "transfer to us absolutely for all parts of the 
world the rights which belong to you on the date of this Agreement or 
which you may acquire or own while you remain our member".  PRS then 
own the rights to all your past and future works.  They will, however, 
only pay you royalties on the works which they specifically know about, 
which is why they require you to register them each individually. If 
you don't register a work, PRS still own the rights to it, they just 
won't pay you for it (unless they work out for themselves that it's 
yours, from detailed returns from a venue or radio station for example, 
in which case they will then fill in a virtual works notification form 
on your behalf, registering the work for you without you actually 
asking them to).

Tim.